


Gwylin's Tales: Found Family

by Narqelion_Fading_Fire



Series: Salty Crew [1]
Category: Dead men tell no tales, Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: F/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21676213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narqelion_Fading_Fire/pseuds/Narqelion_Fading_Fire
Summary: A mysterious fog, a shipwreck, and new addition to the Hayes family/crew, in the form of a young Firbolg lad.OrHow Gwylin met her adopted brother Zamir.
Series: Salty Crew [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1562611
Kudos: 1





	Gwylin's Tales: Found Family

**Author's Note:**

> Gwylin Hayes is my D&D character from Dead Men Tell No Tales, A D&D campaign streamed on Twitch. Based on the Ghosts of Saltmarsh module. Catch us on https://www.twitch.tv/wearenerdsmith Friday nights at 10:30pm EST.
> 
> This is part of my character's backstory.  
> *May contain minor spoilers*

The Laughing Gull creaked gently as it sailed through the dense sea fog that had settled in after the night’s storm had passed. 

At the prow of the ship stood two figures, the taller a muscular woman with teal skin and pointed ears poking out from her long wavy turquoise hair and ornate tricorn; at her side stood a very short older looking man with whiskey colored hair and beard in intricate braids, and tanned skin. Both frowned down at the broken and burned wood and other flotsam just visible in the waters below, the crew silent around her in the quiet morning.

Meriel spoke first. “I don’t like this, Delvin. You’re sure you don’t sense anything odd?”

Delvin shook his head, staring into the fog, his eyes slightly unfocused. “Faint traces of something here earlier, maybe, but nothing still active. If magic did this, whoever cast it is gone now. You think they were attacked?”

“This doesn’t look like it was done by the storm.” Said Meriel, gesturing at the scorched debris.

A second sea-elf, this one shorter and softer looking, with long stylish blue hair and freckled skin joined them. “Do you think it was the princes, love?”

“I’m not sure who else it would be. But I don’t like what that implies.” She responded grimly. “Have everyone keep a weather eye out, in case there’s anyone still about.”

“Should we-”

Teaghan was interrupted, as two small figures ran between them, their teal skin, and turquoise hair a slight blur. 

“Dad! Dad! Gwylin says she saw a body in the water!” The younger one said, latching onto his trouser leg, and looking up at him with big round eyes.

“What? Saoirse, I told you two to stay below, not-Gwylin!” He broke off as he saw their eldest daughter climbing onto the rail. “Get down from there!”

“But Dad, I want to see!” Gwylin complained, still perched on the rail.

“You don’t need to see this, it’s not a pretty sight.” Teaghan said.

“Why would I only want to see pretty things?” She asked, tipping her head to one side.

Delvin chuckled, “She’s got you there, Teaghan.”

“If Gwylin can see, I want to see too! Saoirse announced, moving to join her sister.

Teaghan caught her, picking her up. “How about you stay with me, instead? You can see fine from here.”

“But Dad…”

“Mom, look! I see another one!” Said Gwylin, pointing off the starboard side.

“Gwylin, will you please stop looking for dead bodies?” Teaghan said, sounding exasperated.

“It’s not like she’s never seen one before.” Meriel pointed out.

“That does not make it better!” Teghan retorted.

“Mom, I think this one’s still moving!” Gwylin insisted.

Meriel, who’d been watching her husband with mild amusement, looked over sharply. “Where?”

“Right there! I think they’re still alive!”

“Should we send over a longboat to check it out?” Asked Delvin.

“I’ll go!” Gwylin said, diving off the side before they could catch her.

“Gwylin!” Teaghan cried, still holding onto Saoirse.

“Calm down Teag, she’s a fine swimmer. I’ll get her.” Meriel said, shrugging out of her jacket.

“It’s not her swimming I’m worried about, anything could be out there!”

“If Mom and Gwylin are going to look, then I want to go too!” Saoirse insisted, trying to wiggle out of her father’s grasp.

“Saoirse, please!” Teaghan looked over at Delvin as Meriel dove off the side of the ship. “Will she ever grow out of this?” He asked, nodding after them.

Delvin snorted. “Which one? Gwylin’s just like her mother was at that age, and Merri hasn’t exactly evened out much.”

Teaghan sighed.

____

Gwylin ducked under what looked like part of a mast as she hurried towards the small figure. The vague shape of a ship fading slowly into the murky water below her. She wrinkled her nose at the acrid smell that greeted her once she resurfaced, and looked around again, reorienting herself. It all looked much bigger down here.

She heard a splash behind her, and the faint sound of her parent’s voices, but tuned this out easily. There! She swam quickly to the small waterlogged figure draped over one of the barrels that bobbed ahead of her.

They were slightly larger than her, and covered in gray fur. They weren’t moving, but seemed to be breathing still. She carefully studied the water around the barrel, but couldn’t see any blood. “I should’ve grabbed a rope.” She muttered, wondering how to move the barrel without risk of knocking the figure off of it.

“Fortunately, I have one.” Her mother said with a light chuckle as she surfaced behind her.

Gwylin smiled brightly. “Hi Mom! I told you this one was still alive!” She pointed proudly to the waterlogged figure.

Meriel raised an eyebrow. “Nothing to say for yourself about disobeying orders?”

Gwylin straightened as much as her small frame could while treading water.“I received no orders, Captain. And I was saving a life!”

“You were, but don’t you think you could’ve listened to your father-who is First Mate-and waited for assistance in saving this person?” Meriel asked. 

Gwylin tried to hold herself even higher, barely catching herself from going under a second later. “The lives of innocents come before listening to Dad.” She said virtuously.

Meriel chuckled. “I’ll be sure to tell him that. Have you checked our survivor for wounds?”

“Yes Mum-Captain! No blood in the water, and no missing limbs!”

“Very good, help me tie this rope so we can bring them in.”

“Aye, Captain!”

_____

“Is the boy going to make it?” Meriel asked softly.

“I believe so.” Said Delvin. “He took on a lot of water, and has some minor burns, but my main worry is that blow to head. Lucky Gwylin found him when she did, though. None of the others were alive?”

Meriel shook her head. “None. Although we didn’t find many. Not enough to have been the full crew of a ship that size.”

“Any sign of his family?”

She shook her head.

Delvin sighed. “What are we going to do with him? He seems pretty young for a firbolg, probably not much older than Gwylin.”

“We’ll see if anyone back in Eshkala knows his family, but beyond that...I don’t know. Did he remember anything, when he woke up?” Asked Meriel.

“Not much that’s helpful.” Delvin said. “He was below decks because of the storm. Said he heard shouting above the thunder and waves, and then something hit the ship. He was running up to the deck to see what was going on when it hit the side again hard enough to tip them over. The last thing he remembers is a large shape in the darkness off their port side, and holding onto that barrel for dear life. If he knows his surname, he’s not willing to share it. Just Alhylahzamir.”


End file.
